Hearing the voices of whānau

Hei Āhuru Mōwai commissioned this report in 2022 to fill a gap in what was known about Māori patients and whānau on a cancer journey during the COVID-19 response. Louise Were and Alison Barnett of Hikitia and Associates led the evaluative learning; eight whānau from urban, semi-rural and rural Aotearoa took part.

COVID-19 intensified barriers that were already there: little access to Kaupapa Māori and culturally safe practice, poor communication, lost income and isolation. Most whānau had to self-refer, and wanted to be seen as more than their tinana. It ends with six improvements, including an easier pathway from primary care with screening and testing costs reduced, dedicated navigational support, and the same level of resourcing regardless of cancer diagnosis.